I Cancelled The Wedding And Disappeared With His Child

A week before what was supposed to be the wedding of the century, I discovered Rhys’s heart already belonged to someone else.

In the company’s underground garage, his personal assistant, Tessa, was crying in his arms as he murmured comforts to her. Her makeup was exquisite, but her expression was shattered, and she clutched his suit jacket as if it were her only life raft.

My heart clenched. My fingers, resting on the car door handle, went cold.

Two years ago, she was just an unremarkable intern. Now, any pretense of innocence was gone, replaced by the blazing ambition in her eyes.

Her lingering presence around Rhys always put me on edge, and I had asked him more than once, "Rhys, can't you replace her?"

His smile would immediately fade. "Sloane, Tessa was permanently injured saving my life. I can't just cast her aside."

My phone buzzed with a final confirmation from the wedding planner, asking if she should finalize the million-dollar flower order.

I wouldn’t let grief consume me. Wiping a tear from my cheek, I replied to the email: Cancel everything.

I refused to settle for a counterfeit love or a duplicitous partner.

Let them have each other. Let Tessa stand by his side as his chosen one.

In seven days, I would be gone forever, taking with me the child growing quietly inside me.

————————

1

Rhys looked up from a pile of documents, a warm smile lighting up his face.

"Sloane? I wasn’t expecting you. What brings you to the office?"

As the CEO of Sterling Group, he was always buried in his work.

"I was just with the planner. I thought I'd stop by and see you," I said, my voice trembling involuntarily.

"You missed me, didn't you? I knew it."

He stood and pulled me into his arms.

"I… I saw Tessa in the garage."

"Oh? Was something wrong?"

I searched his gaze for a crack, a flicker of deceit, but there was nothing. A cold wave of panic washed over me.

Was I overthinking this? Was there truly nothing between them?

Rhys's chin gently brushed against my hair.

"Sloane, our wedding is just a week away. I can hardly wait."

His embrace was warm and familiar. For a moment, nestled in his arms, I almost believed him, almost convinced myself I was just being paranoid.

Then, my gaze fell on the suit jacket he had laid out for the evening's gala.

There, peeking from the pocket, was an expensive earring that wasn’t mine.

My gaze shot back to his face, my breath hitching.

"Well, I should get going…"

I rushed home and sat motionless in the bedroom as the sun set, plunging the room into darkness. I didn’t turn on the lights.

The pregnancy test in my hand felt like a razor blade, and I gripped it so tightly it dug into my palm.

I had planned to tell him the news at our wedding. Now, the thought felt like a cruel joke.

I gently caressed my belly. "My baby," I whispered, "Mommy can't bring you into a world built on lies. We'll run far away, just the two of us."

The door opened, and the sudden flood of light made me flinch.

"Are you not feeling well? Why are you sitting in the dark?"

Rhys's voice was filled with familiar concern. He cupped my face to kiss me. I quickly stuffed the pregnancy test into the pocket of my silk pajamas.

"Just tired."

For the sake of our five-year relationship, I decided to give him one last chance.

I looked him in the eye and asked again, "Rhys, can you please replace Tessa?"

He froze. His voice, no longer warm, hardened.

"Sloane, you weren't there for the car crash. If it weren't for Tessa, you would have lost me two years ago."

My eyes stung with tears. "But you've given her so much. She has a whole new life now."

"That doesn't erase the permanent damage to her leg, nor does it replace the dancing career she gave up for it," he said. "She can never dance again. I can't abandon her."

His gaze was calm, but the force of his presence was suffocating.

"But…"

My eyes stung, and the words caught in my throat. His body heat radiated through my clothes; we were so close, yet we felt miles apart.

"Tessa is kind and fragile; she means no harm. You're about to become Mrs. Sterling. Can't you be a little more understanding?"

My lips trembled. All the arguments and emotions churning inside me went cold, then died.

Only a single tear slid silently down my cheek.

Rhys's hand slid to my waist, brushing against the hard object in my pocket.

"What's this?" he asked, reaching in.

I quickly grabbed his hand, my heart pounding in my chest.

"It's… a lipstick."

While he was distracted, I slipped the pregnancy test into the nightstand drawer.

He gazed at me, his thumb gently stroking my cheek.

"Sloane, you look pale. Are you exhausted from the wedding preparations?"

Each word of concern was another gentle twist of a knife in my heart.

I looked into his eyes, my voice catching.

"Rhys, I've told you before. If you don't love me anymore, just tell me. I won't cling to you. But if you lie to me, I will leave you forever."

He laughed, running a hand through my hair.

"Don't be silly. You're just tired. I'm not going anywhere tonight. I'll stay right here with you."

I rested my head against his chest, my thoughts a tangled mess.

He seemed so perfect. Was I really just overthinking things?

But then, the image of that earring—and Tessa’s provocative gaze—stung my heart again and again.

His phone rang, interrupting my thoughts.

The moment he answered, I could feel him tense up.

"Don't worry, I'm on my way."

He gave me a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Tessa's having a flashback from the accident. She's hysterical. I have to go."

My hand shot out, grabbing his sleeve. "But you promised you weren’t going anywhere tonight…"

He gently pinched my chin and smiled. "I'll be back soon."

His tall figure vanished from the doorway.

My tears finally fell, silent and hot.

I caressed my belly. "Baby, we're going to a place with no lies. Just the two of us."